No Bake Cookies

No Bake Cookies are my sons favorite cookie. This recipe was given to me by my son’s Grandma, bless her soul. I always make sure I make everyone’s favorite cookie at Christmas time. No Bake Cookies are the second kind of cookie I learned how to make with Chocolate Chip being the first kind. It took me quite a few times to figure out how to keep these delicious cookies thick and not flatten out. I am going to share that with you as these turn out great every time I make them.

Do you think that the mixture would support a lot more grain flakes? I would also want to add a good handful of nuts, and probably some dried cranberries, sunflower and sesame seeds, and maybe some coconut. What about less sugar? Is the texture of the “cookie” part sort of like penuche, or more like peanut brittle? Or something in between? I’d like to come up with something that is more like a granola bar. I carry commercial ones around with me all the time because we can easily get stuck in a doctor’s office or ER, and they have been a life saver, but I’d like to get away from the commercial-ness of them. And they are really too sweet.

Homemade ones has been a real goal for me, but the method has been elusive. If your method of boiling the sugar mixture works for holding together the plethora of desired ingredients, that would be heaven sent!

Wow that’s a great question and idea Judie! This is a tricky recipe where if it is not brought to a boil and then boiled for a full minute it will not set up and it will flatten out. However, if you poured it into a small pan to cut into bars that wouldn’t matter. Also, will boiling the other grains, coconut etc. hold up to the boiling? I’m not sure it could handle more grain added to it but what about using less oats and then add the other grains? I’m having trouble explaining the texture. It is nothing like peanut brittle but more like penuche (kind of). You will have to experiment with less sugar, I’m not sure if that would affect the setting of the chocolate. Hope I helped a little. Good luck!

I was thinking of adding in the oddball stuff at the end, after the boiling. I made penuche as a kid, and remember the boiling temperature had to reach something like 234°, and then like magic, it turned into that delicious brown sugar “fudge” texture.

I’d like to have the penuche-like substance as a base with the other goodies mixed in as it is cooling.

I was looking for a chocolate addition to my Christmas cookies I’m baking today. I want to try something different and these sound great!! I bake each year for my employees at work gifting them and any extra to friends and family. I’m glad I found this and you followed my blog. So you found me!! So thank you very much!
Kindly, Diana

This recipe is old. I got it from my mother-in-law. Just lately, the last few years, it has been difficult to make right. I suspected the ingredients have been changed by the manufacturers — like the margarine or the peanut butter is made differently than in the past. I noticed your instructions to boil for a minute. I’m wondering if that is your way of fixing this recipe? Have you found it more difficult to make than in the past too? Both I and my sister-in-law have had trouble with it. I’d be happy to be able to tell her how to fix this recipe. Merry Christmas. 🎄

I have made it this way since the late 70’s. I never use margarine, only butter. I also always use Jiff Peanut Butter. The secret to this cookie is in the boiling. Once boiling, I make sure I can not stir the bubbles away. Then I continue to boil for 1 minute. It took me a few years to figure this out but I have never had a flat cookie since. Also, always use fresh ingredients. I made it with oats that had been opened for too long and they didn’t turn out the right consistency. One last thought is are you using the 1 minute quick oats? The regular oats don’t turn out very well. I hope this helps.